Walking the Walls of History
Story and photos by Eleanor S. Morris

Great Britain has but three walled cities left from olden times, but that's more than most places can claim. So it's with a wonderful sense of history that you walk the walls of the cities of York and Chester in England, Conwy in North Wales. All three Northern Britain towns are easily reached from Manchester via BritRail or rental car.

YORK

This city began as a fortress, built in AD 71 by the Roman 9th Legion for a campaign against the Brigantes, a Celtic tribe. Here, Constantine the Great became Roman Emperor in AD 306; that's how important York was to the Romans back then. Along the walls you can still see fragments such as the site of the Porta Principals Dextruor along the northwestern gate of the Roman Fortress. In AD 300 this foundation was rebuilt as a circus, just below ground.

Today most of the walls that now encircle the city, almost three miles of them, are medieval. It's a good walk, up and down worn steps and under low arches, looking down at modern gardens and rooftops. Stepping up to look over the ramparts, some with arrow slits, you can feel the thickness of the smooth stone and imagine defending with bow and arrow.

Walking along the northern perimeter, you'll see the spires of York Minster rise up majestically. York uses the old word for its cathedral, minster meaning a center of Christian teaching, or ministering. Inside, as a seat of authority, you'll find the Archbishop's "catherdra," or throne. The minster, the largest medieval structure in Great Britain, attracts visitors from all over the world with its beauty. Begun in 1220, it was completed in 1472. You'll want to climb down from the wall to admire the 128 windows of stained glass, dating from the 12th century to the present century.

Be sure to save enough energy, after walking the walls, to go shopping in Stonegate, adjacent to the Minster. Many of York's streets end in "gate," which was the Viking word for street. Stonegate, between St. Helen's Square and High and Low Petergate, is a pedestrian mall with a rich medley of medieval and Georgian architecture. It was the Roman Via Praetoria long before the Vikings came, the way to the main bar, or gate, of the old Roman fortress. Now the ancient thoroughfare is a tempting shopping street.

One of the special buildings in Stonegate is Mulberry Hall, only 200 yards from York Minster. A private house in the 15th century, the Tudor mansion is now a shop with 17 showrooms spread out over three floors. You can shop for Wedgewood bone china, crystal by Waterford and silver from Georg Jensen among other fine English wares.

If you turn right where Low Petergate becomes Colliergate, you'll come to another York attraction, The Shambles. This too is a perfectly preserved medieval street with half-timbered houses and stores. The overhang above the ground floor is so deep you'll think that those on the second story can reach across to each other, right over your head. There are craft and souvenir shops here, too.

CHESTER

The city was originally settled by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. They called it Fortress Deva after the River Dee, which flows beyond large portions of the Wall. The City Walls are entirely walkable, and not only for visitors keen on taking an elevated view of \the city and the River Dee. The locals use the walls extensively, as quick and convenient routes around the city. Popular since they were built in 1785 is the challenge of the "Wishing Steps." If you can walk up, down, and out without taking a breath, well, your wish just might come true.

Meanwhile, you'll not only get a bird's-eye view of the city center on one side, you'll also take in magnificent view of the distant Welsh mountains on the other. And be sure to walk the walls from Newgate toward Eastgate to take a look at the great ornate clock built to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1887. You'll want to take a snapshot of this "most photographed clock in England, even more than Big Ben," according to a passerby.

Now rowers and kayakers sport on the River Dee, but during the Roman Occupation of Britain, Deva became a major garrison as one of the finest strategic outposts of the Roman Empire when seagoing vessels sailed up the Dee Estuary to anchor under the Chester walls.

Then along came the Vikings, landing their longships during the Dark Ages. But by the 10th century, Alfred the Great's daughter Aethelflaeda had driven out the Norsemen, strengthening and extending the Walls for protection.

Another Chester treat are the Rows, 12th and 13th century black and white 13th century half-timbered"magpie" buildings. Unique to Chester, they line the four main streets, Bridge Street, Eastgate, Watergate and Northgate, of the Roman city. Now a pedestrian area, the Rows consist of double rows of shops, one at street level (some even sunk a little below) and another on the second floor, fronted by a walkway so you can see what's in the shop windows.

CONWY

The medieval walls in Wales are somewhat less ancient than the Roman walls of York and Chester, being constructed between 1283 and 1289 by Edward I of England. He was busy conquering the Welsh and he built his castle and the walls not to enclose the town but for his own safety: to keep the Welsh out. The ring of walls, more then three-fourths of a mile, making a very do-able walk, are guarded by 22 towers.

Edward I successfully stamped his authority on Wales: Conwy Castle truly evokes the \medieval ages, with its dark stones, soaring curtain walls and eight huge round towers brooding over the city. The castle's intimidating presence has been undimmed by time, seeming to grow naturally out of the rock on which it stands, looming over the Conwy Estuary and the Menai Straits. From the walls you'll have a good view of the marina and the castle gardens on one side, the city on the other. Originally there were three main gates into the town, each marked with two strong towers. Walk down Bangor Street under the Northwestern Gate, and it'll lead you right to the harbor. It's interesting that the original layout of the town has remained pretty much the same: today's High Street, Castle Street and Upper Gate Street show up on old engravings.

Another historic place in Conwy is restored Plas Mawr, called "the finest surviving town house of the Elizabethan era to be found anywhere in Britain." Close within the ring of 13th century walls and protected by mighty Castle Conwy, the "Great Hall" was built between 1576 and 1585 by a successful Welsh merchant who wanted show off how he had it made.

Merchant Robert Wynn's "worthy plentiful house" sports outstanding ornamental plasterwork--be sure to look for the many "R.W." initials in the coat of arms that he adopted, all restored in brilliantly painted plaster. Nothing modest about Master Wynn.

IF YOU GO:

* AMERICAN AIRLINES has direct flights to Manchester from Dallas/Fort Worth. (Seasonally, ends Oct. 31) Call 1-800-433-7300.

* BRITISH RAIL has direct service from Manchester to York and Chester. For Conwy, there is a change at Llandudno Junction. For more information contact BRITRAIL TRAVEL, 1500 Broadway, New York, NY 10036; Tel: 1-888-BRITRAIL.

* DRIVING: York is approximately 2 hours from the Manchester Airport; Chester is only 20 minutes away, and Conwy about 1-1/2 half hours. (But in 45 minutes you're into Wales.) A reliable and reasonable car rental company is KEMWELL HOLIDAY, 1-800-678-0678.

Some picturesque places to stay:

* In MANCHESTER, Etrop Grange, built in 1780, was the home of a gentleman farmer with hospitable taste. (Thorley Lane, Manchester Airport, Manchester M90 4EG, UK; tel: 0161 4990500 fax: 0161 4990790.)

* In YORK Dean Court Hotel is just across the road from York Minster and around the corner from Bootham Bar, the northwestern gate of the Wall. (Duncombe Place, York YO1 2EF England, UK. Tel: 01904 625082; fax: 01904 620305.)

* In CHESTER, the Chester Grosvenor is a prestigious five-star Tudor-style hotel offering "country-house style" practically in the midst of the Rows. (Eastgate, Chester CH1 1LT, England, UK.) Tel: +44 (O) 1244 895615; fax: +44 (O) 1244 313068.

* In WALES, Olde Bull's Head on Castle Street in Beaumaris, leading up to the gates of a famous medieval castle, is where stagecoaches used to stop. Charles Dickens stayed here. (Castle Street, Beaumaris, Isle of Angelsey LL58 8AP, Wales, UK, tel: 01248 810329; fax: 01248 811294.)

For more information contact:

* BRITISH TOURIST AUTHORITY, 551 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10178, 212/986-2256 and 1-800-462-2748